Grover Cleveland saved from closure

Grover Cleveland High School was removed from the list of turnaround schools ensuring its survival.

Hours before the Panel for Educational Policy meeting to decide the fate of 26 city schools, the Department of Education removed Grover Cleveland High School from the list ensuring its survival.

Under the turnaround model the Ridgewood school would have closed and reopened under a new name with up to half the teachers being replaced. Bushwick Community High School was also removed from the list.

“Over the past several weeks, during public hearings and visits from my senior leadership, we looked closely at schools whose performance and quality of instruction have shown positive signs in the last two years. We have come to believe that two of those schools – Grover Cleveland High School and Bushwick Community High School – have demonstrated an ability to continue their improvements without the more comprehensive actions that are clearly needed at 24 other schools,” Chancellor Dennis Walcott said in a statement.

The hearing on Monday, April 2 and the public comments given that night also played a role into the DOE’s decision to keep the school open.

“This news is a testament to the hard work of the school community, the students, parents and teachers and Principal [Denise] Vittor at Grover Cleveland,” said Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley. “I was proud to stand with the community protesting the turnaround model, and I am relieved the DOE has listened to common sense and will keep the school open. We must continue to fight for the remaining schools that are still slated for closure.”

Cleveland has shown improvement in recent years raising its graduation rate and being rated proficient on the quality review.

Twenty four other schools — seven in Queens — will have their fate determined tonight at the PEP meeting in Brooklyn.